History 1

Dates are from various history books of Blackpool and the Fylde, but chiefly from the Government Survey Book Amounderness, published in the year 1934. To thoroughly understand the History of a District over a few Centuries you must know its Geography.

The first Map of the Fylde, or Saxon for Field, was published about the year 1500 and shows the Coastline to extend one mile further out into Morecambe Bay than it does now, also two miles further out into the Irish sea at Rischall Point, receding to one mile further out at halfway down the coast (that would be Bispham), and continuing still one mile out until it reaches the mouth of the Ribble.

The map shows the river Wyre as a tributary of the river Lune, hence the name Lune Deeps. Marton Moss was a swamp and a small brook drained from it running North West, called Spen Brook this was widened and deepened later to the Moss and renamed Spen Dyke. This Brook or Dyke emptied into a pool situated in a large Depression about a mile (in those days) from the sea, and owing to the colour of the water was given the name THE BLACKPOOL. Further East was a lake running East and West for four and a half miles, by half a mile wide. This had an overflow at the West end, this ran through what is now Marton, and joined the Spen Brook in the vicinity of what is now known as Spen Corner, the junction of Waterloo Road, Ansdell Road and Hawes Side Lane.

The Lake was Marton Mere and ran from about what is now East Park Drive to beyond Peel. The Black Pool was situated in a hollow at the North end about the present Chapel Street or Princess Street and the South near Spion Cop end of the Football Field. This Pool had an overflow through a small Gynn which ran through what is now Manchester Square to the sea. There is no mention of Roman Occupation in any book that I have read, the nearest is Kirkham where the remains of a small Bath Building on the stump of the Roman Bath, were found when excavating at the beginning of the century. There is also the Roman Road running through Kirkham and on towards Fleetwood to the supposed Roman port of Portus Setantian, two miles out from the present Fleetwood. This road was afterwards called Daines Pad. This was the layout of the Coastal Strip of the Fylde in the Hundred of Amounderness.

The County of Lancashire was formed by the amalgamation of Six Hundreds, these being The Hundred of Lonsdale in the North, which takes in the North - Furness District including Lake Coniston and about Seven eights of Lake Windermere, Lancaster, Morecambe, nearly as far South as Pilling and across to the Yorkshire Border. The Hundred of Amounderness, or Oak Covered Swamp, taking in Pilling and Over Wyre District across to the Yorkshire Boundary taking in the Bleasdale Fells, Garstang, in the South across County, cutting Preston out, but including Ashton on Ribble, and then following the river to its mouth. The Hundred of Leyland, south of the river and including Southport and halfway across the Centre Strip of the County. The Hundred of Blackburn, taking up the Eastern half of the Centre Strip. The Hundred of Salford which includes Manchester and the whole of South East Lancashire. The Hundred of Derby in the South West Lancashire including Liverpool. The first mention of the Hundred of Amounderness is the year 661.

A Hundred is one hundred rouds of Cultivable land at that date when Cultivation was all by hand, and in batches over a large area including the rough land in between, which the Head Man of the district had to keep clear of outlaws and Merenders. A Roud is equivalent to one and a half square miles. The first mention of a Duke of Lancaster was in the year 1361. In 1500, the West District of the Fylde was very sparsely populated, the two centres of Poulton and Bispham being the principal centres. There was St. Cuthbert's Priory, situated where Lytham Hall now stands. Waddam Thorp, on the coast, a mile out from the present Squires Gate. Singleton Thorpe, just beyond the Pennistone rock at Bispham. Ross Hall, a Gentleman's Residence and accompanying building out towards the coast, beyond the present Rossall College. At that time there was no mention of Blackpool other than the Pool, so much for the geography of Blackpool and District.

1532
There was a large inundation by the sea which swept inland for two miles covering all the land from about the present Bloomfield Road, right down to the Ribble Estuary and inland to near Hawes Side Lane. Waddam Thorp was washed away and there is no record of any of the residents surviving. This land was covered by the sea for years and then it receded to the present coast line, causing a strip of land about one mile wide and useless for years.

1555
Another sea inundation further North in which Singleton Thorp was destroyed but the inhabitants or the bulk of them escaped and traced inland and settled in what is now Singleton Village.

1602
The first mention of Blackpool is found in the Register of Bispham Parish Church, in which is recorded the Christianry on September 22nd of that year of a Child belonging to a Couple who reside on the Bank of the Black Pool.

1643
This is one of the years of the Civil War between the King (Charles 1) and Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell. The gentry of the District were mainly Royalists and an Army was raised in the district to fight on the side of the King. This Army was commanded by Sir Thomas Tyldesley of Myerscough Lodge near Preston, with a son of the Rigbys of Layton Hall as his second in command, they clashed with the Parliamentarians in the Battle of Wigan Lain and Sir Walter was killed and the Army defeated. A Spanish Vessel came ashore at Rossall Beach. Both armies were after the prize, but as Cromwells army had to go round by Garstang and over Wyre where his supporters were, and Lord Derby being amongst friends was able to march right up to Layton Hawes and alongside the Fylde coast without any interference, therefore securing the Prize for the Royalists.

1650
After the death of Cromwell and the Restoration of the Monarchy, Charles the Second was very lavish with his promise to families who had suffered in the support of his father. Edward Tyldesley was one of these, for his father's death at Wigan Lane Battle. Unfortunately for them, the King, although a good promiser, was a very bad fulfiller of said promises. Edward Tyldesley of Mains Hall, having his eye on Layton Hawes which was now drying out, built a small hall at the very South of the then Blackpool as a seaside residence and called it Fox Hall, here he entertained the Gentry of the district, including horse racing on the Hawes. Unfortunately for Edward Tyldesley he was one to whom the King did not fulfill his promise, and after continuing as a private residence for several years, eventually became a farm house and as Blackpool developed, finished up as Licensed Premises, the present Foxall Hotel.

1735
Ernest Whiteside living in a two bedroom house at Fumblers Hill (bottom of present Cocker Street) added two more bedrooms to his house and became the first Company House Keeper as a business.

1750
In this year it is recorded that there were two dozen cottages in Blackpool, and a small Inn near where now stands the Clifton.

1752
Emanuel Bowen's Map of Lancashire published.
1755
The Fylde Coast had its share of Shipwrecks in the old days, and being sparsely populated it was a common thing for the inhabitants to help themselves before the Coast Guards or Excise Officers could get to the wreck. A ship named "The Travers" was wrecked on the coast, it had a cargo of Lace, and there was "Travers Lace" in homes all over the Fylde for years after.

1779
Owing to there being a bad summer and poor crops, food was scarce. During the autumn, a ship was wrecked on the Coast which, among other articles, was carrying a cargo of peas. This was raided and helped out the food supply and the wreck became known as "The Pea Soup Wreck".

1783
First mention of Coaches being run between Manchester and Blackpool for the Conveyance of Passengers.

1785
In this year Baylies Hotel, now the Metropole commenced advertising for visitors in the Manchester Mercury.

1786
Bonnies Hotel and the Lane Ends Hotel, afterwards called the County, now demolished to make room for Lewis's Stores, both commenced advertising for visitors.
At this date there were Fifty Houses in Blackpool, a Theatre in a Barn in Lane Ends Street now Church Street and two Bowling Greens.

1788
A Gentleman named George Cook started Blackpool's first Post Office and Lending Library.

1789
"William Hutton a Gentleman from Birmingham, published a small book entitled "A description of Blackpool".
The population of Blackpool at that time was four hundred. (400)